Apron



Sept. 27 1 h A ERCOLA APRON Filed Feb. 18, 1924 Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

UNlTED STATES 1,643,311 PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL MERCOLA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OB, BY MESNII ASSIGNMENTS,TO

READY.APRON COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

arnon.

This invention relates to an apron of the slip-on variety moreparticularly designated as a spring supported apron, and the prin cipalobject of my invention is to provide an article of apparel of this kindwhich can be not only easily applied to and removed from the body of thewearer but will maintain its position when in use, in the presentinstance the supportingi spring being of such construction that in adremoving the apron therefrom, when necessary, it also provides efiectivemeans for securely holding the apron in place on said supporting springso that it will not be dis turbed to detract from its neat appearance inuse or defeat its purpose of properly protectin the garments it isintended to cover.

Wi this principal object in view my invention consists in the particularconstruction of the supporting spring whereby it is adapted toeffectively support the apron from the waist of the wearer, all ashereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a rear view of my improvedsupporting spring,

the apron being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2, is a top view; Fig. 3 isan enlarged view of one end of the spring and apron connected thereto;Figs. 4 and 5 are sections taken on the line 4-4 and 55 respectively oiFig. 2; and Fig. '6 illustrates a modification in the formation of theends of the spring. In carrying out my invention a piece of cloth or anyother suitable fabric for the a ron 1 is provided with a narrow hem 2 aong the upper edge open at both ends and having one or more rows/ofstitches 3 defining and securing the inner part of said hem. A length ofspring wire or strip steel 4 bowedto conform to the general shape of apersons waist, somewhat oval in shape, is passed through the hem withthe ends 5 of the spring beyond the hem bent over at the outside of-theapron to form a flattened loop the inturned portion 6 of which bearsagainst the outer portion of the hem to clamp it between the loop andbody of the spring.

In applying the apron to the spring strip,

one. end of the hem is slipped over one of the loopedendspf the stripand the latter is threaded through the hem beyond the other end oftheflsame and this last mentioned end of the hem slipped under thecompanion loop of the spring by forcin it up, and then the other orfirst mentione end of the hem is it1on to providing for forced over theloop at the other end of the spring and slipped under the same, so thatthe apron will be securely held on the spring by the loops or clampingmembers at the ends of said spring.

,By providing the ends of the apron supporting spring strip with thebackwardly turned integral clampin members it is practically impossiblefor t e apron to become dislodged from the spring" strip unless it isdesired to remove it. The ends of the apron will be held in place sothat the apron will not slip around on the spring strip and becomebunched or gathered to mar its appearance and reduce its effectiveness.The tip end 7 of each loop of the supporting spring is preferablyrounded and bent backwardly upon itself as shown in Fig. 3, or ifdesired may be curled inwardly, as designated by the numeral 8 in Fig.6. Either of these forms permits the ap lication of the apron to thespring strip an removal therefrom without danger of tearing or damagingthe hem.

A spring supported apron of this kind is particularly desirable for usewhere it is to be qgickly applied and removed. It requires no uttons,strings, or other more or less complicated fastenings as the springstrip 4 has suflicient resiliency to hold the apron in place about thebody of a wearer but without exerting any undue pressure so that itwould be uncomfortable to wear continuously. To apply thespring-supported apron the loops are grasped between the index-fingerand thumb of the hands and sprung apart sufficiently so that thesupporting sprin will encircle or rip around the waist, an in likemanner t e apron is removed, in the present instance the apron beingfirmly supported as hereinbet'ore explained. Furthermore, by employing aspring having the integral spring clam ing members at its ends. when theapron is to ded or hung on .a hook there is no danger of the hemslipping on the springas likely to happen when the ends are notconnected to the spring-thus obviating the annoyance of straighteningout the apron in slipping iton or after it is adjusted around the waist.

I claim:

1. A spring-supported slip-on apron comprising an apron having a hemacross the up per part thereof open at its ends, and a bowed springextending through the hem beyond 1 upper part t the ends thereof andsaid projecting ends of the spring bent against one side of the hem toprovide an; integral spring clamping member at each endthereofcooperating with the body of the spring to securely hold the apronagainst slipping on the supporting spring.

2. A spring-supported slip-on apron comprising an apron having a hemacross the ereof open at its ends, and a bowed spring extending throughthe hem beyond the ends thereof the projecting ends being bentrearwardly forming curved spring clamping members each having an outerpor tion thereof cooperating with the body of the spring to clamptheapron or hem thereof therebetween with the extreme end of theclamping member turned outward and inward.

MICHAEL MERCOLA.

